This present invention relates to contrast agent imaging. In particular, contrast agent imaging in medical imaging systems is enhanced.
The use of contrast agents in routine clinical examinations has become more common. Despite initial apprehension concerning the need for an IV to inject the contrast agents, the clinical benefits may be significant. With improvements in detection techniques by equipment manufacturers and more stable agents by pharmaceutical companies, the number of successful examinations with contrast agents is growing. However, contrast agent imaging in clinical examinations may be overly complex due to the large number of detection techniques, difficulty of optimum adjustment and poor user interface.
Many equipment manufacturers have introduced numerous contrast agent techniques for imaging contrast agents. The following is an example list illustrating some of the multiple imaging modes or techniques available: Phase Inversion, Pulse Inversion, Power Pulse Inversion (PPI), Ensemble Contrast Imaging (ECI), Power Harmonics, Power Angio, Power Modulation (PM), Ultraharmonics, Flash Echo Imaging, Advanced Dynamic Flow, 1.5 Harmonic Imaging, Coherent Contrast Imaging (CCI), Contrast Pulse Sequencing (CPS), Power Contrast Imaging (PCI), and Agent Detection Imaging (ADI). Some differences among these imaging modes and techniques include the use of high power imaging or low power imaging, the types of transmitted pulses, the number of transmitted pulses per line in an image, the type of filtered received frequency content, and the type of filtering across all received pulses. These differences offer opportunities for adjusting performance by the user. However, deciding which option is most appropriate can be complicated. Even with successful marketing and educational materials, the opportunity still exists that an inappropriate technique, or improper machine settings (or preset values), may be used, generating suboptimal results.
Another complication for efficient contrast agent imaging examination is setting the acoustic transmit power level. The Mechanical Index (MI) is often used as a primary index, or only index, for setting the imaging condition based on transmitted power before and after contrast administration. This index is a single number that represents peak negative pressure normalized by frequency at a single point in three-dimensional space. Many users assume this number is the value at the electronic focus. However, this assumption can be incorrect for specific imaging conditions. The MI is not a comprehensive measure relating to the best imaging setting.
Given the evolution of technologies and continued introduction of new contrast agent imaging detection techniques, ultrasound companies have been challenged to create and market a simple package for contrast agent imaging. In addition to multiple detection modes, the user interfaces have not all been easy to use. Users typically select a specific configuration for contrast agent imaging from a menu structure of multiple applications or contrast agent imaging techniques. In response to the configuration, a particular contrast agent detection technique and associated transmit sequence is selected. Other contrast agent imaging parameters are also set and maintained until a different configuration is selected by the user.
Users that do not achieve the expected imaging performance after starting with a preset system setting or Mechanical Index often operate a transmit level adjustment and vary the transmit level until the imaging performance is improved. While the pre-detection gains may be adjusted due to the different transmit level, other internal contrast agent system parameters specific to a selected detection technique do not change as the transmit level varies. The contrast agent detection technique does not change when the transmit level is altered. Suboptimal contrast agent imaging may result.